Real Simple to Launch Spinoff

Magazine taps weddings market with 160 page planning guide.

Real Simple magazine is taking its concept of making life more simple one step further by applying its wealth of practical life advice to an often daunting and expensive experience: planning a wedding.

“We wanted to do something that speaks to our readers. We’ve had a lot of interest from readers looking for tips how to save time and money on their wedding but still make it look expensive and gorgeous,” a Real Simple spokesperson tells FOLIO:. “People can spend a lot of time and money on a wedding when it can be made more simple.”

The 160 page guide is divided into three sections—Your Plan, Your Ceremony and Your Reception—and features strategies for creating a budget, choosing a location, assembling the guest list and managing the wedding party. Each section also features answers to 10 common questions, and comes with a pullout guide containing checklists and contact sheets.

As part of a special promotion, the guide will be sold exclusively at Crate & Barrel stores through January 27. After that, it will be available at retail stores. The cover price is $12.95.

Real Simple Weddings is part of a larger Real Simple initiative to expand its brand into other platforms, which already includes international editions, a syndicated newspaper column and a television show.

Last year, Real Simple generated about $300 million in revenue, according to the latest PIB figures. The magazine had 2,090 ad pages, up about 15 percent from 1,814 in 2006.

Physicians’ Life—an upscale lifestyle title for doctors—will be launching in May. The magazine is backed by Slack Inc., a publisher that’s noted for its professional medical media, not consumer titles.